FLOUNCE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does flounce mean? 

• FLOUNCE (noun)
  The noun FLOUNCE has 2 senses:

1. a strip of pleated material used as a decoration or a trim

2. the act of walking with exaggerated jerky motions

  Familiarity information: FLOUNCE used as a noun is rare.

• FLOUNCE (verb)
  The verb FLOUNCE has 1 sense:

1. walk emphatically

  Familiarity information: FLOUNCE used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FLOUNCE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A strip of pleated material used as a decoration or a trim

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

flounce; frill; furbelow; ruffle

Hypernyms ("flounce" is a kind of...):

adornment (a decoration of color or interest that is added to relieve plainness)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "flounce"):

gauffer; goffer (an ornamental frill made by pressing pleats)

jabot (a ruffle on the front of a woman's blouse or a man's shirt)

peplum (a flared ruffle attached to the waistline of a dress or jacket or blouse)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The act of walking with exaggerated jerky motions

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("flounce" is a kind of...):

gait (a person's manner of walking)

Derivation:

flounce (walk emphatically)

• FLOUNCE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they flounce    ... he / she / it flounces   
Past simple: flounced   
Past participle: flounced   
-ing form: flouncing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Walk emphatically

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "flounce" is one way to...):

walk (use one's feet to advance; advance by steps)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sentence example:

They flounce up the hill

Derivation:

flounce (the act of walking with exaggerated jerky motions)

 Context examples 

It was not until we had rung three or four times that we could prevail on Mrs. Crupp to communicate with us, but at last she appeared, being a stout lady with a flounce of flannel petticoat below a nankeen gown.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

And she began a scene between the two of them, so exact in voice and manner that it seemed to us as if there were really two folk before us: the stern old mother with her hand up like an ear-trumpet, and her flouncing, bouncing daughter.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The equipages are as varied as the company and attract as much attention, especially the low basket barouches in which ladies drive themselves, with a pair of dashing ponies, gay nets to keep their voluminous flounces from overflowing the diminutive vehicles, and little grooms on the perch behind.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

She looked at me and laughed pointlessly. Then she flounced over to the dog, kissed it with ecstasy and swept into the kitchen, implying that a dozen chefs awaited her orders there.

(The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald)